Mucho Gusto shows glimpse of Triple Crown style

ARCADIA, Calif. – Joe Talamo dismounted from Mucho Gusto after a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity in December and was ready for the build-up to the 2019 Triple Crown.

“He’s a hard-trying sonofagun,” Talamo said at the time. “I can feel he’s getting better.”

Two months later, Mucho Gusto has improved. The colt won his first start of 2019 in Saturday’s Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on a sealed and sloppy track at Santa Anita to solidify his position among trainer Bob Baffert’s hopes for the spring classics.

It is a deep group that includes the undefeated champion Game Winner and the undefeated Improbable, who won the Los Alamitos Futurity.
In the $147,351 Lewis Stakes, Mucho Gusto stalked pacesetter Magnificent McCool to early stretch and pulled clear to win by 4 3/4 lengths.

He was timed in 1:41.81 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 90.

“I think he was better yesterday than he was in the Los Alamitos Futurity,” Talamo said Sunday morning. “He took a liking to the slop. You never know if he’ll love it or hate it.

“He showed a different dynamic to sit off a horse. We knew he could. Bob works him behind horses. It played out perfectly. A lot of horses can sit off a horse in the morning, but in the afternoon they don’t want to.”

Owned by Michael Petersen, Mucho Gusto has won 3 of 4 starts and earned $234,100. Mucho Gusto won his stakes debut in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 17.

Talamo said Saturday’s win suggests longer distances should benefit Mucho Gusto, who is by Mucho Macho Man.

“I like mentally where he is at,” Talamo said. “Physically, he’s a standout.

“What I liked yesterday was his gallop out. He wasn’t shortening strides at the wire. He wanted to grab the bit and take off again. Distance-wise, I don’t think that will be a problem.”

Talamo, 29, was the champion apprentice jockey of 2007. He has ridden in the Kentucky Derby twice, finishing 17th on Sidney’s Candy in 2010 and 16th on War Story in 2015.

While the Derby is months away, Talamo has a prospect that merits attention in mid-winter.